Strax approached the bed slowly, his steps almost silent on the thick carpet covering the bedroom floor. Beatrice didn't flinch an inch. On the contrary, her blue eyes remained fixed on him, following his every movement with a curious mixture of challenge, expectation, and a growing tension reflected in her slightly quickened breathing. He stopped at the edge of the mattress and leaned over her, placing his hands on either side of her body, trapping her between his arms without actually touching her yet, as if creating an invisible frame around her.
"Quality time, you said," he repeated, his voice lower now, laden with an intimacy that made the air between them feel heavier. "You want my undivided attention, Beatrice? No distractions? No… interruptions?"
She raised her chin with that characteristic dignity she always carried, but the rhythm of her breathing already betrayed the effect of the closeness. Even so, her voice came out firm.
"That's what I said."
